Communications Specialist​/Event Coordinator; Educator Recognition); Principal Consultant

Communications Specialist/Event Coordinator (Educator Recognition) (Principal Consultant #16)

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Reporting to the Press Secretary/Supervisor, the Communications Specialist/Event Coordinator (Educator Recognition) plans and executes several awards programs and events that recognize and honor exemplary Illinois educators. In particular, the Event/Project Coordinator administers the agency's Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel Awards program: facilitating the receipt, scoring, and final selection of applications of outstanding educators across the state, and planning the 1,000-person annual Teacher of the Year & Those Who Excel Awards banquet.

The Communications Specialist/Event Coordinator, educator recognition is also responsible for other Teacher of the Year & Those Who Excel events and programming and for the state's nominations to the RISE Awards and Milken Educator Awards. This role requires excellent event planning and project management skills, including the ability to define project milestones and deadlines and to coordinate both internal and external contractors, vendors, and stakeholders to meet event and project goals and expectations.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in managing multiple projects simultaneously and in administering large-scale events, such as banquets, conferences, and press events. The Communications Specialist/Event Coordinator will demonstrate superior organizational skills and will balance creativity with logistics. They will be able to keep calm and clear-headed while working toward deadlines. They will excel at balancing big-picture goals with small details, effectively utilizing time, resources, and personnel to stage enjoyable, well-executed events.

The Communications Specialist/ Event Coordinator will have superior writing and editing ability in order to support the drafting and submission of various awards nomination packets and communications materials promoting the agency's events and programming. In addition to responsibilities related to educator recognition, they will serve as a member of the Communications team and support a variety of communications initiatives, including, but not limited to, copy editing, developing talking points, contributing to newsletters, creating social media content, assisting with graphic design projects, and supporting other communications and public relations activities as needed.

Light travel is required to attend educator recognition events, award announcements, conferences, and related agency activities.

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  Provides Communications and Public Relations support for the Communications department and agency initiatives, including drafting and editing talking points, remarks, press releases, newsletters, web content, social media content, and other communications materials.
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  Assists in developing and implementing communications strategies to promote agency programs, events, priorities, and accomplishments.
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  Supports content planning, storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and digital communications efforts across multiple platforms.
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  Collaborates with Communications staff and program areas to ensure messaging is accurate, timely, and aligned with agency goals.
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  Thinks creatively about opportunities to enhance the effectiveness, reach, and impact of Agency communications, educator recognition programs, events, and related initiatives.
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  Plans and executes the annual 1,000-person Teacher of the Year & Those Who Excel Awards banquet, overseeing and directing all event logistics, including save-the-dates, invitations, marketing collateral materials, web content and updates, guest list and RSVP management, communication with attendees, following the…